Shelllady

Saturday, January 22, 2022

A Little Adventure!

We went on a little adventure yesterday....we got on a boat and headed to a barrier island named Keewaydin. It's just a short boat ride north of Marco Island! "We" is a group of 4 of us, happy go-lucky middle-aged women, Liz, Me, Cindy and Jolene, We love to shell and are looking for an adventure so you'll never know where we'll go next!! We have decided we will call ourselves the 'Shell Raisers'!! So from now on, you'll know who I'm talking about!! ;)

We drove to Rose Marina in Marco Island, (about an hour and a half from my house in Fort Myers) and caught the Hemingway Water Shuttle to Keewaydin Island...I highly recommend them!!

Before we boarded, we happened to be near the docks and saw the marina's version of the ice cream truck show up! ..at least these birds thought so!!!

The Bait truck!!! He was very popular with every Snowy Egret in the vicinity!!

It was a bit foggy as we rode up to Keewaydin late morning, but it didn't last long, and it didn't take us long to get down to business!

These sandbars are relatively new, accelerated by the latest storms according to the Captain and First Mate!

Cindy waisted no time looking for treasures....

...as did Jolene and Liz!

At first, I started finding Lots of live stuff, which you know I always like to see....and have to share!

Beautiful Live Banded Tulip...

...and Big 'Ol Horse Conch.... (Love that iconic Orange Body!!)

....Live Olive...

This Neon Orange Florida Cone....

and this TINY little Lace Murex!

Unfortunately I don't believe this guy(pygmy Octopus) was alive anymore....but I carefully put him back in the water, just in case!

Jolene has mentioned several time that she wanted to find a Golden Olive....Well today was her day!! It wasn't perfect as the very tip was missing, but she didn't care....it was beautiful!!

....and she was so Happy!!!

and would you believe....about 10 minutes later, she found another one!!!! It was PERFECT!!

Here's a peak inside her shell bag....The Cone Whisperer!!

She even picked up a BEAUTIFUL orange Fighting Conch!

Here's a look inside Liz's shell bag....she was doing great too!! Though you can't see it very well from this view!

and this is Cindy's!

I found out later that this was ONE of her bags, she had 2!! ;)

I shelled mostly in a small tidal pool and found lots of little treasures....Orange seemed to be the theme! True Tulips, a Florida Cone, Pear Whelk, Worm Shell, Olive and I can't pass up an Orange Scallop!

Here's what was in my shell bag.....

....the view was beautiful!!

We did a lot of walking....

and had a GREAT time!

Goodbye Keewaydin...

We WILL be back!!

Another person on the boat had a good day!! She found these Monster shells (about 15 Horse Conchs and Lightning Whelks) right after we arrived, in about chest deep water!!! She could barely carry this bag!!!

An Update:: Remember this guy from Last Monday's trip after the storms??

He Cleaned up VERY WELL!! He is now one of my Favorites!!

The other still needs some work and elbow grease..... but it's coming along!!

Stay Tuned!!!

::Shelllady Hugs::

Monday, January 17, 2022

Winter Storms and Negative Tides

I haven't had much to Blog about lately....for the first time ever, Liz and I went to the beach a couple days ago and I came home EMPTY handed. We needed some of those Winter storms down here to stir the Gulf up. I've spent my time lately crafting for the upcoming Shell Show with the Sanibel Shellcrafters and painting shells to hide.....

Yesterday the storms came....the bad news is we had 3 water spouts turned tornadoes here in Fort Myers. I have a couple of friends who have damage to their homes. Jimmy and I heard that iconic 'freight train' just once and for only a few seconds. According to the weather and alarms on our phones, they were on 3 sides of us over a course of 3 hours. Interesting morning to say the least. We thankfully are perfectly fine, the damage begins just down the road with Palms Fronds ripped, all the way to Modular homes completely destroyed....so sad, my prayers go out to each and every one of them.

After the storms hit, (Which was a cold front...you know the one that dumped all that snow and Ice) we got more strong winds, along with high surf advisories.....there it is! Stirring up the Gulf!!! So of course Liz and I were out there at O dark thirty, to catch the tides right....negative tides!!

The once barren beach, had everything you can imagine out there! You know me, I love the live stuff almost as much as the shells!

There were LOTS of Live Horse Conchs!

Some of these guys were HUGE!!

Even this guy that was attached to the side of a crab.....the crab is dead, the beautiful orange Horse Conch isn't! ;)

I saw this huge Nine armed SeaStar first thing.....I love these guys!! He was very much alive!!

A beautiful Live Pear Whelk....

....and a Whole bunch of Big True Tulips...Live of course! Everything this morning was on Steroids!!! Huge!!

As the sun rose, I spotted several shells that had these Tulip Egg Casings attached!

It looks like ruffles when they all are put closely together!!

Liz and I saved this eel....I couldn't find it in any of my books, so I googled it, and I think it might be a Moray! Anyone out there know??

He was pretty sluggish, but hopefully he will come around!!

Liz found this Lightning Whelk with a pretty impressive Hermit inside!!

There were also a BUNCH of Live Lightning Whelks, which is always so nice to see!!!

This is a Flame Streaked Box Crab.....unfortunately, I don't think he was alive! ;(

So, not all of it was live.....I found quite a few treasures.....

I found this Horse Conch first....

Not very good....maybe I'll look some more....

Now That's better!!!

A few more steps, and found this one.....

Not great....keep looking!!

I found a beautiful Shark's eye, Nice Gaudy Nautica & colorful little Pear Whelk.

Then this HUGE Shark's eye!

Then I quit taking pictures....between the flashlight and fingers rummaging around in the sand, I gave up on the camera....I did however almost catch the sunrise!